I have seen better productions of Merchant, but it was a thrill to see Abraham at work. In truth, I have also seen him give better performances, and therefor have very high standards for him. Even at less than his best, he is outstanding.

This may sound odd but the seats at the Broad are so cheap and uncomfortable that it took away from the enjoyment of this production.
Also I can't understand why people show up late for plays and then must disturb other viewers as well as the actors. I enjoyed the modern take on this play and thought all the cast were excellent. As we went to an afternoon production there was no problem with the parking. I doubt that we will return to the Broad for any other plays or performances because of the problem with the seats.

What a pleasure to see this Broadway calibre production in Santa Monica, California. F. Murray Abraham was superb. His final moment was right on the mark. A lesser talent might have ventured into the melodramatic. The cast was of equal talent and handled the language beautifully. John Lee Beatty and Linda Cho designed a clean, sleek, and stunning production. Director Tresnjak told the story clearly with a concise point of view. The lack of compassion displayed by the characters angered me and I found it interesting to see that it took two women dressed as men and a homosexual manservant to bring a pompous, self-riteous manly society to a resolution. Tragic and angering there was no mercy for Shylock.

Brilliant, modern staging. Murray Abraham is great.